Personal Attacks, Really?

I'm so tired of hearing about the McCain campaign's personal attacks simply because he is pointing out Barack Obama’s associations with some seedy characters. I thought personal attacks were statements about another which are untrue, unfair, or simply not relevant to the decision making process? Pointing out inconsistencies in candidates' statements is not an attack. For the last time, advertisements rebutting your opponent’s false claims are not negative. Pointing out who your opponent’s close associates are is not a personal attack.

When Obama claims to be tough on terrorism, his cozy relationship with an unrepentant bomber on US soil seems relevant to me. I don’t care if this man was protesting a perceived unjust war or not. When Obama claims undying love for his country, his relationship with a spiritual mentor who blames America for 9/11 and uses god's name and America’s name in vain seems relevant to me. When Obama keeps bashing Bush for our increasing deficit (and he is partially right on this), but then proposes new spending totaling $1 trillion dollars, I want to know about it. When Joe Biden talks about a restaurant he frequents, but it has been closed for 20 years, this speaks to truth of his statements. When Mr. Biden says FDR gave speeches in 1929 on television after the Great Depression and FDR wasn’t president nor television invented yet, I care about it. When Obama says we need to insure 47 million Americans that the heartless Bush administration doesn’t care about, but doesn’t tell you at least 12 million of these are illegal immigrants, this speaks to the substance of his rhetoric.

The McCain campaign is highlighting the character of Barack Obama. Character matters when difficulty arises (and it always does). But, it seems these days the only important thing for most voters is how much money they have or will have. Or, how much money THE OTHER GUY HAS. The Left will say McCain is talking character because they can’t talk about the economy without losing. That is true. You can’t match Barack’s class envy rhetoric when class envy does, in fact, exist. How can you argue with somebody promising free health care for all when everybody wants lower medical costs? How can you argue against the rich paying more taxes when middle and lower class America feels squeezed by high energy and utility costs? How can you argue the Bush administration shouldering the blame for the mortgage mess and declining stock portfolios instead of asking individual taxpayers to shoulder some of the blame for bad decision making? They don’t want to hear it. So, Barack is right, McCain can’t fight on the economy. Barack Obama has the upper hand when it comes to class envy.

Arguing economic facts is a vain pursuit these days because the age of reason is dead. Voters say they want facts, but then call you negative if you recite ones they don’t like. You can tell liberals that decreasing tax rates actually increases government revenue and it doesn’t matter. Send them to the IRS site proving your fact, and they ignore it by shifting the discussion to ‘the deficit’ created by Republicans which has more to do with out of control spending then tax receipts. You can tell liberals the bottom 40% of American taxpayers already don’t pay income tax at all, and it will not matter to them. They will still tell you Republicans are for the rich. You can tell a liberal all day long that Barney Frank and his cronies were warned about the seriousness of Fannie/Freddie’s situation back in 2005 by Republicans and they still blame George Bush.

Character matters. Outlining the other candidate’s positions on issues or rebutting their false claims is not a personal attack. Barack Obama might be promising the moon, but can he deliver? I’m sorry Obama campaign that must have been a personal attack. Please forgive me.

Is there another choice for president??

Less than 80 days until US citizens step into the booth to cast their vote for our highest office. Frankly can I sit this one out? My choice is between a liberal who loves being called liberal, and a liberal who hides behind the cover of an elephant.

On the left, we have Barack Obama, the choice of European elitists. While those of us in Middle America are hanging on to our guns and religion, Barack is overseas belittling American values and generally trashing our way of life. We are the stupid people. He is siding with the folks around the world who would like nothing better than seeing our republic fall in stature.

The pendulum swings wildly for this guy. The unborn don't seem to matter as much as the environment. America shouldn't be polluting the environment drilling for oil, but it is fine for Saudia Arabia to do so. Clarence Thomas can't measure up as a Supreme Court Justice, but Rev. Wright with his American bashing, and Bill Ayers with his terrorist leanings are people he seeks council and friendship with. The war in Iraq is wrong, but we should march into Afghanistan or Pakistan. Mexicans should be free to live here and not integrate, but Americans need to speak other languages like French.

Electing this guy surely means higher taxes, sky high gas prices, more government, lousy health care, appeasement to our enemies, and unrelenting socialism dumped on the American public. I never thought someone could be scarier than Mrs. Clinton, but I have no doubt she would've drifted to the right a bit, just like her husband did. Mr Obama? No way, this guy is hard core left. No thanks, Barack. I've already had enough of the blame America crowd. This man doesn't inspire individual hope and hard work. He inspires the "blame everyone else" crowd and promises a government that will rescue us from every ill. Plundering the rich and passing things to the poor will solve everything. I happen to like the rich...without them where would the jobs come from? Have you ever worked for a poor person?

Of course, I'm not thrilled with Mr. McCain either. Here is a liberal in sheep's clothing. He snubs conservatives every chance he gets. What can we expect from him? Remember his endless talking about the appeasement of law breakers sneaking into the country by granting them amnesty? Or how about McCain-Feingold?? McCain-Kennedy?? If they weren't squaring off, I can almost see it now, McCain-Obama. Remember when he was pro-tax 5 years ago, and now he is anti-tax today? Or being against offshore drilling until a month ago. He still thinks we should protect ANWR and the 2,000 acres out of 19 MILLION at all costs. Apparently, he hasn't seen the photos of the caribou huddled around the oil pipelines. On most social issues, this man is clearly liberal.

So there you have it, we have a social and economic liberal versus a social liberal/economic moderate. Ronald Reagan cannot be smiling today. The city on a shining hill just had its lights dimmed a bit. I've decided to hold my nose and vote for John McCain in November. While he is leeringly liberal, he does have several very good points that make him infinitely better than Barack.

*He recognizes our national sovereignty is tied to being on the offensive against those who would nuke us.

*He without question loves this county. As opposed to Mrs. "America has never given me reason to be proud" Obama. Sure, Barack didn't say it, but do you really think he disagrees with his wife?

*He hates earmarks, and unlike most other Repub's. and Dem's. might actually cut spending.

I just hope the single, under 30 crowd stays away from the polls. I'm tired of having my vote cancelled out by people who look to late night comedians to direct their vote instead of actually thinking about the issues. Voting for president requires more than 5 minutes of listening to David Letterman.